peiler



Jan. 27, 1931. KJE. PEiLER 1,790,530

GLASS -ANNEALIING LEEB FiledJan". 9, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 27, 1931 K. E. PEILER GLASS ANNEALING LEER 4 Sheets$heet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1950 Inven tor \lvz (SR/Qefw A iiorh qys.

Jan. 27, 1931. K. E. PEILER GLASS ANNEALING LEER/ I 4Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 9, 1930 n I v 1 I 1 l I 1 I I I I I I l Eisabw xw x I: I v

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K. E., PEILER GLASS ANNEALING LEER Filed Jan.

Jan. 27, 1931.

Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KARL E. PEILER, OF WEST IIEIIA'BHFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HARTFORD- EMPIRE COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE cuss-murmurs am Q Application filed January 9, 1930; Serial No. 419,506.

This invention relates to. glass annealing leers and more especially to the construction of a glass annealing leer having a substantially helical flue for the passage of temperature controlling media about or adjacent to the tunnel through which the ware is passed for annealing.

I have shown-my with a leer of the type especially adapted for sheet glass, but it will be understood that some, if not all of the features herein dc? scribed and claimed may also be of general utility in annealing all types of glassware.-

The leer of my invention provides certain of the functional' advantages present in the leer set forth in the patent to'the Hartford- Empire 00., No. 1,560,481, granted November 3, 1925, assignee of Vergil Mulholland, and in certain aspects constitutes an improvement on that leer. 1

In constructing a leer having a flue either substantially or exactly in the form of a helix, it is inevitable either that the ware receiving end of the leer-be so formed as to correspond to the angle of thehelix, or if the leer .is

formed with a receiving end at right angles to the direction of movement of the ware, there will be a space at the receiving end, which is not included within the helical flue.

In either case, undesirable efi'ects are-likely .to be presentdue to the uneven heating'of the glass, which in some instances carries-a material distance down the leer and causes uneven thermal conditioning of the glass with the result that the glass is not properly annealed. An object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties by supplying heat to the space above mentioned which is located between the inclined portion of the foremost turn of the helical flue and the right angular end of the leer.

A further object of the invention is to insure the even heating of the leer by the prevention of the possibility of hot spots therein. This object is in general realized by locating of the fire box, which supplies the heated media to the leer, outside the vertical. confines thereof, so that heat passing from the fire box to the glass in the interior of the tunnel must be transferred by the hot gases invention in connectionv rather than by direct conduction 'orradiation; I A further object of the invention is to design the flue-forming members of a substantially helical flue leer, so as to render them simple to construct and assemble, and more specifically, so that in the construction of t ese members, no cores are required for the. castings, and the machining necessary is of the simplest kind. Also-it isan object of the invention todesign these flue-forming A further object is to construct ,these members in such a way that when assembled, con: tiguous flue passages are separated from each other by but one wall thickness and are separated from the'interior of the tunnel also by but one wall thickness, which latter is a common wall between the flues and the tunnel, and which in itself forms the tunnel.

A further object of the invention is to provide a leer having a flattened helical flue associated therewith and defining the ware tunnel and having a conveying belt upon which the glass is carried which is of substantially tion of the leer with certain parts broken- -the same width as the widest transverse diaway and in section to show the interior construction;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section substantially on the line 55 of'Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section substantially on the line 6+6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the entering end of the leer with certain parts broken away and in-section to show the interior construction; and

the movement of the glass.

Fig.8 is a perspective of certain parts of the leer at :the entrance end, the parts being separated for clarity of illustration and certain parts being broken away better to showtheir construction.

. As diagrammatically illustrated in Figssl and 2, the-leer comprises a..sectional tunnel A; a fire box B, preferably located at one side I of the tunnel adjacent toits entrance end; a flue C communicating at one end with the fire box adjacent to the glass receiving end of the leer and extending uninterruptedly to the other end of the leer substantially in a helix, theend of the flue at the discharge end of the tunnel being open to the atmosphere; a draftproducing device specifically a suction' fan communicating with'the flue C; a

ware sorting and packing table E located atand a belt driving mechanism G.

The structural parts of the tunnel and temperature controlling flue are supported-upon suitable framework including a pair of longitudinally extending members 1 rigidly maintained in positionby a plurality of transversely extending structural members 2 (Fig. 6), this framework being supported at intervals by vertically adjustable pedestals 3. The tunnel'm'ay', if desired, be slightly inclined downwardly from its hot or. receiving'end to the cool or delivery end to cause atendency for air toflow by natural convection through the tunnel in adirection opposite to that of This flow of air through the tunnel is preferablybarely sufficient to prevent an inflow of harmful currents of cold air at the hot end of the tun- I nel, without itself-exerting a material cooling influence upon the glass. I In order to control temperature in the tunnel, prefer to..conduct temperaturecontrolling gases around it in a substantially helical path definedby a flue which'is preferably made up of a plurality of substantially interchangeable members, which are of the minimum number of varieties, so as to facilitate the setting up of the leer and to minimize the expense .of manufacture of the several parts. With the above objects in View, the tunnel is referably made up of a plurality of flueforming members 4 (Fig. 8), each constituting the bottom and sides of a single turn of the flue and provided with flange s 5 for attachment to the contiguous members 4. As

show in Fig. 8, members 4 comprise inner and connecting them, the inner wall being sub-' stantially smooth and the outer wall 7. p'ref- 'erably being provided 'with ribs 4a to provide additional strength, so that-when the sections 4 are assembled together, the inner walls 6 form the side and bottom walls of the tunnel. The first flue and tunnel forming section 4 is provided with asupporting flange portion 9, which maybe suitably built into the brick work or other supporting structure at the entrance end of the leer,-which end is an chored permanently against expansive movement. The members 4 are provided with trunnion supporting bosses 10 in which are mounted stub shafts 11 (Fig. 6) on which rollers or wheels 12 are journaled, the wheels running on the rails 1 to permitthe leer to expand when heated. Members 4 and 4 are provided with upwardly facing flanges 13 to which are bolted or otherwise secured skew or diagonal flue members 14.- The members 14 extend at an oblique angle to the direcone of the members 4 with the opposite end of a contiguous member, suitable apertures 17 being provided in the bottom wall of the members 14 to connect with the passages of the members 4 as above described. The members 14 are preferably made up of angle mem bers 15 and top covering members 16, which are provided with suitable flanges for attaching them by boltsor otherwise to members 4 and to each other. Members 14 are provided with end. closures 17' preferably bolted thereto. Thus, it will be seen that the construction and assembly of the flue-forming members is extremely simple, as the parts may be easily cast or rolled, without requiring the useof intricate and expensive core members, and the necessary machining is of the simplest kind. Also the provision of members to form the flues having not more than three sides saves in the amount of material used as the walls between contiguous turns of'the flue are single rather than double. This also aids in maintaining a smooth heat gradient as will be obvious. v Inasmuch as the top members 14 are 'inclined with respect to the direction of motion of the glass through the leer, and that the entering end 18 of the leer is formed at right angles to the direction of movement of the ware entering the leer, a substantially triangular space is left which, were it not for the special provision made herein, would be a dead space and entirely unheated, which would tend to render uneven the heating of the ware. In order to overcome the effect of this dead space, the member 4 is provided with a connecting passage by which a desired proportion of the hot gases from the fire boX B may be conducted into the triangular member 19. which occupies the above dewith the exception of its generally triangu lar shape and the fact that it has side walls scribed space, a damper 21 being mounted.

in the passage to control the proportion of 'hot gases going through the by-pass into the interior of member 19. Member 19'is similar in construction to the member 14 on both sides, one wall 22 being provided with-one or more suitable apertures23, three being shown, to provide a communication between the passage formed by the contiguous member 14 and interior'bf the member 19..

In the ordinary operation of the leer, the

damper 21 .will be opened-to some'extent,

allowing a controllable proportion of the hot gases from the fire box B to pass into the interior of the member 19 anthence through .the openings or passage 23 into the flue pas-- sage formed by the contiguous member 14;. It may in some instances be sufficient, however,-'merely to provide enlarged apertures 23 through which gases maycirc'ulate back and forth between'the interior of member 19 and the passage .formed by'the contiguous member 14, due to eddycurrents or other:

wise, and without the use ofby-pass-suc'h as is shown at 20.

The flue fonn ing member 4, 4", 14 and 19 are surrounded throughout the greater part ofthe length of the tunnel jby insulating material 24 such as kieselguhr, which maybe r tapers either gradually orin steps toward.

' of cooling of the gases within the flue C -method of eluding a combustion chamber 26 (Fig; 7

' enclosed in-a." rotecting. casing- 25 of some suitable material such as sheet metal. .This.

layer. of insulation is preferably thicker at the hotter or entrance end of the tunnel and the cooler end, whereby to control the rate limitingthe loss of heat from the gases thereinto the surroundings, this manner of controlling'the temperatures ofthe gases being desirable" in some instances rather than the use of a part or all of the mechanism and operation hereinafter to be described.

A source' of hot gases, such as a fire box B, is connected tothe flue C, this'fire box inhaving anopening 27 in its'side wall-into which is directed the flame from a suitable burner 28. for fluid or gaseous fuel. Inas- *mu'ch as the details of the internal construction of the fire'box'and ofthe burner form no part of my presentinvention, no. further i the flue C be substantially that at which description of this subject matter will be given. mitting diluting gases or air through the ,port'26a in the side of the fire box C, which gases or air may be forced into, the opening by the action'of acontrollable jet 26bin or- -der that the resultant temperature of the gaseous media. passing from the fire box into it is desired to hold the glass for the release of permanent strains. I

I'have provided, however, for ad- Means may be provided for. controlling the temperatures along the flue,--such means including a plurality: of damperedalr 1n 'let openings 28 communicating at spaced intervals with the flueC and serving to ad-' mitinto the flue regulable amounts of atvmospheric air to dilute and cool the gases therein and thus to control thetemperature gradient in the tunnel. A longitudinallyv extendin'gair'conduit 29 is provided above the a cooler part of the'leer communicating at its exit'end with the draft producing device D andcommunicat-ing ata plurality of spaced points along its length throughdam ered passages 30 with the flue C. Thus it will be seen that 'by proper regulation ofthe dampers in the passages 30,- the distance which the hot gasestravel along the flue C gases in the flue C- may be controlled at' an endless reticulated wire mesh belt F,

which rests directly upon the upper horizon- I tal walls 6 of the members 4 and thus is in .good heat conducting relation therewith, this belt being' driven by the means G and ten sioned by suitable means shown diagram-- matically at32' (Fig. 1) as in the patent to Mulholland above referred to,'the return.

strand 33 of the belt being supported on spaced 'rollers 34. The belt is-substantially as wide as the widest transverse dimension of the tunnel. I

Thus it will be seen that I'have provided a leer in which all four walls of the-leer are maintained at substantially an'even.tempera-- .ture throughout any selected cross section of the leer,'whereby the device may be used to anneal not only ordinary glassware, but'also sheets of glass substantially'as wide as the leer. A fire box is located outside the verti cal confines ofthe leer, so as. to be easy of substantial amounts of heat from the fire box directly to the leer tunnel to cause hot spots therein and in general interfere With the accurate controlof the temperature gradient.

access andso as to prevent the conduction of I have provided means. for heating the'tri angular portion adjacent to the entrance end of the leer, which would otherwise be a dead] spot. .By constructing the fines of a plurality of relatively similar parts, I have designed a leer,.which is-easy and cheap to make, and which uses less floor space in a factory than a leer which the flues are in the form of a true helix, thus also practically eliminating dead air spaces in and about'the tunnel.

While I haveshown and described but one embodiment of my. invention, it is obvious that many-modifications might be-made there- I in and many of the individual features might ware-entering portion of said tunnel, means to pass hot gases through said flue to control be usedin other-combinations without departing'from the spirit of the invention -'as set 3 1 forth in the appendedclaimgwhich are to I be construed as broadly as the state Ithe' priorartpermits.

i I claim:

stantially'helicalfluecoiled about at least the thet emperature' within said tunnel, said flue having at least' a portion of its first turn.

spaced from the entrance end of said tunnel due to'the substantially helical construction thereof to form a substantially triangular space between 'such portion and-the right angular entrance end of said tunnel, and

means for supplying heat to said space.

2. A glass annealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel built up of a plurality-of sec;

. of movement of means tosupply tional parts, means 'for moving glasstherethrough, a substantially helical flue associated-t.herewi'th, each turn having at least a portion at-an acute angle with the direction lass through said tunnel,

supplyingheat tothe substantially triangular portion between the acute angle portibn of the'foremost turnof said flue and the right angular entering end of the leer, including by-pass connections to" divert a part, of said;

. hot gases to'and through said triangular portion.

' sectional parts, which when assembled form angle with the direction of movement of v 1 3. A glass "annealing leer comprising an' elongate tunnel built 'upgtof am'plurality' of a substantially helical flue, means for moving-glass-through said tunnel, each turn of said 'fl-ue having a portion extending across at least one wall of said tunnel at an acute glass therethrough, the leer having its enteri stantially uniform temperature laterally of.

/ elongate tunnel built'up of a plurality of in- I tercha-ngeable sectional parts, means for ing-end at'right'a'ngles with said direction,

."and'means for supplying heat to the space between the inclined portion of the first turn of said'flue and the right angular entering end of the leer, whereby to maintain a subthe leer at the entrance end thereof.

.4.A glass annealing leer oomp'risin'gnn' moving glass therethro'ugh,a substantially helical flue associated with said tunnel, each turn of said fluehaving a portion extending across the roof of said tunnel at an acute angle with the direction of movement of glass therethrough, means to supply hot gases to said flue, the leer having itsentering-end formed at right angles with said direction,

ot gases to said line, the leer having its entrance-end formed at right angles with said direction, and means for and means for supplying heatto the space between the portion of t e foremost turn ofsaid flue extending across theroof ofthe tunnel and the right angular entering endof the leer, including a plurality of passages through which said hot gases may circulate between said triangular portion and said foremost turn of said flue;

5. A- glass'annealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel built up of a plurality of interchangeable sectional parts, means for moving glass therethrough, a substantially helical flue associated therewith, each turn having a portion extending across the roof of said tunnel at an-acute angle with the direction of movement of glass therethrough,

means to supply hot-gases to'saidflue, the leer having its entering endformed at right angles withsaid direction, and means for supplying heat to the sub'stantiallytriangular portion between the portion of the foremost turn of said flue which extends across the roof of said tunnel and the right angularentering end. of the leer, including a' dampered by-pass connection for diverting a portion of said hot gases into said triangular portion, and a passage through which the gases so diverted may pass into said fore I most turn of said flue. i v

6. A glassannealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel, a substantially helical flue associatedtherewith, a fire box for supplying.

heated gases to said flue for'controllin'g the temperatures in said tunnel, said fire boxbeing located outside the'vertical confines of the leer, and means to admit air to said fire box to dilute and cool'the products of come bustion therein and'thereby't'o control the temperature gradient insaid tunnel.

7 A glass annealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel, alsubstantially helical flue surrounding said tunnel, a fire box for sup I plying heated gases to said flue, said'fire box being located outside the vertical confines of the tunnel and the flue, means to admit air to'said fire box to dilute and cool the products of combustion therein to" a temperature substantially the same as that at which it is desired ,to hold the glass'for the release of permanent strains, means disposed at spaced intervals along the latter portion of said'flue lable amounts, and means to limit the rate of temperature drop in the other portions'of said flueby retarding the loss of heat there from to the (surroundings, whereby aceu-' rately to control the temperature gradient in said tunnel. I

'8. A glass annealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel built up of a plurality of flue-forming members togetherv forming passages extending at right angles to the longitudinal dimension of said tunnel, and a plu- :rality of other flue forming members together forming diagonal passages connectfor Withdrawing gases therefrom in control sages extending at right angles to the direction of movement of glass through that portion of the tunnel opposite the respective members, and a plurality of other interchangeable flue-forming' members together forming diagonal flues respectivelyconnect ing the opposite ends of contiguous pairs the first'named passages. I v

10. A glassvannealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel, means for moving glass. therethrough, 'a substantially helical flue having contiguous passes surrounding said-tunnel, the portions of said flue at thebottom and sidesof said tunnel extending perpendicular to the direction of motion of the glass therethrough and the top portions of said flue extending at an oblique angle to said direction. to connect contiguous sections of the side and bottom portions thereof. 7

11. A sheet glass annealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel of relatively wide flat cross section, an endless reticulated conveyor belt I substantially the same width as said tunnel for moving the glass therethrough, and a substantially'helical flue entirely surrounding said tunnel from end to end thereof, the upper wall'of the lower portion of said flu 7 forming said floor of the-tunnel.

12. A glass annealing leer comprising an elongate tunnel, an endless belt conveyor of open wire mesh material substantiall as wide as the widest transverse dimension the tunnel for conveying glass therethrough,a sub. stantlally helical flue of good heat conducting material, portions .of the walls of which form the entire wall of said tunnel, and means for passing temperature an elongate tunnel of relatively wide flat cross section, an endless recticulated conveyor belt' for moving sheet lass therethrou h, said belt being supported irectly on the oor of said tunnel, a substantially helical flue entirely surrounding said tunnel from end to end thereof, a fire box disposed outside the vertical confines of said leer and communicating with said flue adjacent to the entranceend of said tunnel to supply hot gases thereto, dampered air inlet ducts disposed at intervals along the hotter portions of said fluefor admitting controllable amounts of atmospheric air to dilute and cool said hot gases, said flue being open to the atmosphere adjacent to the discharge end of the leer, a draft impelling device, and a plurality of dampered connections between said draft impelling device and the cooler portions of said flue for withdrawing the media therefrom, the portions ofsaid flue at the bottom and sides ofsaid tunnel extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the glass therethrough and the topportions of said flue extending at an oblique angle to said direction, whereby to maintain the glass in any transverse section of said tunnel substantially at a uniform temperature. v

Signed at Hartford, Connecticut, this 6th day of January, 1930.

' KARL E. PEILER.

controlling media through said flue accurately to control the temperatures of the glass on said conveyor in I its passage through said tunnel.

13. In a glass annealing leer,.a tuimel comprising asubstantially helical flue formed at least in part by three sided flue forming members laid with-their open sides in the same .di-

motion and forming with'contiguous members substantially transversely extending passages, the sides of said members opposite their open sides forming the fourth sides of flue passages bounded on their other three sides by the three sides of the contiguous members.

14.. In a glass annealing leer, a tunnel formed by a contiguous uninterrupted substantially helical flue built up of interchangeable flue forming parts, each of which forms not more than a single turn, in which contiguous turn's of said flue are separated by a single flue wall thickness only.

15. A sheet glass annealing leer comprising 

